{"id":933988,"url":"https://alion.io/job/formfactor-senior-principal-applications-engineer-technical-lead","title":"Senior Principal Applications Engineer / Technical Lead","company":{"id":4792,"name":"FormFactor","domain":"formfactor.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/formfactor","size_band":"1001-5000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Workday","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":82,"open_postings":15,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.733,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":51,"computed_at":"2026-11-06T05:58:05Z"}},"role":"Backend","role_family":"Backend","seniority":"lead","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"remote","remote_scope":"stated_countries","remote_scope_basis":"posting_text","remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"inferred","locations":["United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":["US"],"hiring_countries_total":1,"salary":{"min":136200,"max":178815,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":178815},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":8,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":true,"technologies":[{"name":"HPC","optional":false},{"name":"JMP","optional":true},{"name":"MATLAB","optional":true},{"name":"Python","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-14T00:00:00Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-09-14","last_verified_at":"2026-11-06T11:25:15Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":53,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":53},"description":"Forming Our Future together\nFormFactor, Inc. (NASDAQ: FORM), is a leading provider of essential test and measurement technologies along the full semiconductor product life cycle - from characterization, modeling, reliability, and design de-bug, to qualification and production test. Semiconductor companies rely upon FormFactor’s products and services to accelerate profitability by optimizing device performance and advancing yield knowledge. The company serves customers through its network of facilities in Asia, Europe, and North America.\nRooted in our core values - Focus on the Customer, Ownership & Accountability, Respectfully & Effectively Communicate, and Motivate & Develop People - we foster an environment where diverse perspectives are not only welcomed but celebrated. Everyone can make an impact here. Whether it's improving products, supporting customers, or positively influencing peers and the community, the contributions of our people matter.\nShift:\nThe regular hours for this position are day shift.Job Description:\nFormFactor is seeking a Senior Principal Applications Engineer / Technical Lead to serve as a senior customer-facing technical leader supporting strategic semiconductor customers and advanced wafer probe solutions.\nThis role is responsible for driving customer success across the entire customer lifecycle, from early technology evaluation through qualification, deployment, production release, High Volume Manufacturing (HVM), and long-term production support. The position is a key element of FormFactor's evolving Customer Solutions Team, focused on improving the end-to-end customer experience, increasing customer intimacy, and accelerating adoption of FormFactor technologies.\nThe successful candidate will be recognized as a technical authority in semiconductor test and characterization and will work closely with customers, Engineering, Product Management, Marketing, Service, and Sales to support advanced applications including Silicon Photonics (SiPh), Co-Packaged Optics (CPO), AI/HPC, Advanced Packaging, Memory, Foundry, Logic, RF, and High-Speed Digital technologies.\nThis individual must excel in highly complex and ambiguous situations, provide leadership during customer escalations, and independently drive cross-functional teams to resolution while serving as a trusted advisor to strategic customers.\nKey Responsibilities:\nStrategic Customer Leadership\nServe as the primary technical advisor for strategic semiconductor customers.\n\nBuild trusted relationships with customer engineering, manufacturing, operations, and executive teams.\n\nLead customer engagements from evaluation through qualification, production release, and HVM ramp.\n\nConduct on-site customer technical reviews, production readiness reviews, roadmap discussions, and executive briefings.\n\nPresent FormFactor's technology roadmap, product capabilities, and application solutions to customers and industry stakeholders.\n\nSupport product demonstrations, benchmarking activities, acceptance testing, and customer evaluations.\n\nPartner with customers to improve yield, throughput, measurement accuracy, and manufacturing productivity.\n\nAct as the senior technical escalation point for business-critical customer issues.\n\nApplications Engineering Leadership\nDevelop and deploy advanced application methodologies for semiconductor probe and test solutions.\n\nSupport electrical, parametric, RF, optical, photonics, and high-speed device characterization.\n\nDrive successful adoption of new products and advanced technologies.\n\nDevelop technical documentation, application notes, best practices, and customer training materials.\n\nAnalyze customer application challenges and recommend optimized solutions.\n\nSupport beta evaluations, technology transfers, qualification programs, and production ramps.\n\nTechnical Leadership\nServe as a recognized subject matter expert in semiconductor test, wafer probing, and device characterization.\n\nLead complex root cause investigations involving product, process, applications, and manufacturing issues.\n\nProvide technical leadership across Applications, Engineering, Product Management, Service, and Manufacturing teams.\n\nMentor and coach Applications Engineers and other technical team members.\n\nEstablish best practices and drive knowledge sharing across global organizations.\n\nInfluence technical direction and contribute to the development of future customer solutions.\n\nLeadership in Ambiguous Environments\nLead cross-functional teams in highly dynamic and ambiguous situations where ownership, requirements, or technical direction may not be fully defined.\n\nDrive clarity, accountability, and execution during customer escalations and critical business situations.\n\nBalance customer requirements, business priorities, and technical constraints to achieve successful outcomes.\n\nMake sound technical and business decisions under pressure and with limited information.\n\nCreate momentum and organizational alignment when addressing high-impact customer challenges.\n\nProduct & Market Leadership\nServe as the Voice of Customer to Product Management and Engineering organizations.\n\nIdentify emerging technology trends and customer requirements.\n\nInfluence product roadmaps through customer feedback and market insights.\n\nSupport strategic growth initiatives in Silicon Photonics, Co-Packaged Optics, AI/HPC, Foundry, Memory, and Advanced Packaging markets.\n\nAssist Sales and Business Development teams with technical strategy and growth opportunities.\n\nPreferred Qualifications & Experiences:\nBachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Photonics, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, or related technical discipline.\n\nExperience in semiconductor test, semiconductor capital equipment, probe card technologies, wafer probe systems, device characterization, or related fields.\n\nDemonstrated success supporting strategic semiconductor customers in both development and production environments.\n\nProven ability to lead complex technical engagements and customer escalations.\n\nStrong communication and presentation skills with the ability to communicate effectively at both engineering and executive levels.\n\nAbility to travel domestically and internationally as required.\n\nPreferred Technical Experience:\nAutomated Test Equipment (ATE)\n\nWafer Probe Systems\n\nProbe Cards\n\nSemiconductor Test\n\nDevice Characterization\n\nParametric Test\n\nWafer Sort\n\nProduction Test\n\nRF and Microwave Measurements\n\nHigh-Speed Digital Testing\n\nSignal Integrity\n\nSilicon Photonics\n\nOptical Characterization\n\nCo-Packaged Optics (CPO)\n\nAdvanced Packaging\n\nHeterogeneous Integration\n\nYield Improvement\n\nProduct Qualification\n\nNew Product Introduction (NPI)\n\nFailure Analysis\n\nHigh Volume Manufacturing (HVM)\n\nSuccess Profile:\nThe Senior Principal Applications Engineer / Technical Lead is a highly visible technical leader responsible for strengthening customer intimacy, improving the customer experience, accelerating technology adoption, and enabling successful production ramps at strategic semiconductor customers.\nSuccess in this role requires deep semiconductor test expertise, strong business acumen, exceptional customer-facing capabilities, and the ability to lead organizations through complex and ambiguous situations. The individual will serve as a cornerstone of FormFactor's Customer Solutions Team and will directly contribute to customer satisfaction, market share growth, and the successful expansion of FormFactor's Silicon Photonics and advanced semiconductor business.\nSkills:\nAutomated Test Equipment (ATE), Automated Test Equipment (ATE), Business Acumen, Cross-Functional Leadership, Data Analytics, Decision Making, Escalation Management, Executive Communications, High Volume Manufacturing, JMP Scripting Language (JSL), MATLAB, Mentorship, Probe Cards, Process Optimization, Python (Programming Language), RF Testing, Risk Management, Root Cause Analysis (RCA), Semiconductor Manufacturing, Semiconductor Testers, Signal Integrity, Silicon Photonics, Strategic Customer Management, Strategic Thinking, Technical Leadership {+ 1 more}Education & Experience:\nMinimum of 8 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 6 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with 3 years experience; or equivalent experience | RequiredPay Range:\n$136,200.00 - $178,815.00Pay Range Explained:\nThis role in Livermore, California pays between $136,200.00 and $178,815.00 per year, depending on your experience, skills, and background. Pay may vary in other locations. We offer a full benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability coverage, a 401(k) with company match, employee stock purchase plan (ESPP), and paid time off. You’ll also be eligible for quarterly profit-sharing bonuses and flexible spending or savings accounts.Equal Employment Opportunity Statement\nFormFactor is an equal opportunity employer. FormFactor complies with all national, state, and local laws that seek to promote equal opportunities for any applicant or employee without regard to age, race, color, gender, gender identity/expression, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, disability, marital status, pregnancy or related condition, military service, or any other legally protected characteristics. These protections apply to all aspects of employment, including but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, training, promotions, and compensation.\nFor roles that are designated as remote-eligible, employees cannot be located in: AL, AK, AR, DE, GA, HI, IL, IA, LA, ME, MD, MS, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, ND, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, WV, WI, WY. This list is continuously evolving and being updated, please check back with us if the state you live in is on the exclusion list. A role is remote-eligible only when it is listed as \"Remote\" in the job location.","description_format":"text","description_chars":9827,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":8,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Growth opportunities","Life insurance"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"},{"name":"Iowa","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Wyoming","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"New Jersey","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Illinois","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Alaska","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Missouri","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Pennsylvania","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Maryland","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Nevada","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Oklahoma","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Arkansas","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Nebraska","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Delaware","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Maine","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Alabama","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"South Dakota","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"New Mexico","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Wisconsin","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"West Virginia","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Louisiana","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Rhode Island","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"South Carolina","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"North Dakota","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Mississippi","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Georgia","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Hawaii","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Tennessee","iso":null,"kind":"city"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Test & Measurement Instruments","Semiconductor Equipment"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-15T13:29:10Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"US","licensed_sponsor":true,"evidence":"H-1B filings in 12 months: 13 · green card filings: 4","filings_12m":13,"filings_prev_12m":32,"green_card_filings_12m":4,"median_offered_wage_usd":146912,"route":null,"cap_exempt":false,"checked_at":"2026-10-29T16:27:21+00:00","sources":["US Department of Labor: LCA disclosure data (H-1B, H-1B1, E-3)","US Department of Labor: PERM disclosure data (green cards)"],"filings_for_role_12m":3}],"liveness":{"score":26,"band":"fade","label":"Fading","p_open":1,"p_active":0.591,"p_room":0.44,"age_days":53,"expected_fill_days":51,"reasons":["conf:3","stale_co","velocity","win:tail","crowd:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-11-06T05:58:05Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":178815,"is_top_pay":false},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/formfactor-senior-principal-applications-engineer-technical-lead","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/formfactor-senior-principal-applications-engineer-technical-lead.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-06T17:53:37Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":33236,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-07T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":4792},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=4792"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fformfactor-senior-principal-applications-engineer-technical-lead"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fformfactor-senior-principal-applications-engineer-technical-lead"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fformfactor-senior-principal-applications-engineer-technical-lead"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/formfactor-senior-principal-applications-engineer-technical-lead\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fformfactor-senior-principal-applications-engineer-technical-lead"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":933988}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"formfactor.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":933988},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. Docs: https://alion.io/developers"}}